The ultra-violent delights of a John Wick movie
Why everyone needs a special John Wick friend. Plus, a quick sneak peek at the new season of Succession and everything else you need to rock your weekend.
Kia ora and welcome to your weekly Friday dose of Rec Room! I’ve had a secret sneak peek at the new season of Succession - a little bit about that below. It starts next week! Get ready! But first, we need to talk about the new John Wick movie. I get it. I hear you say it’s too violent. I know it will never win an Oscar. And I hear your moans about how it’s aggressive, classless junk. I disagree. I believe it’s OK to enjoy a John Wick movie. And I have my reasons, all of which I’m about to list for you below…
-Chris Schulz
John Wick: Chapter 4 is a non-stop orgy of carnage. Is it the end?
Keanu Reeves has annihilated the place. In what appears to be a glass-encased museum full of ancient artefacts, he is surrounded by abstract carnage. Bad guy after bad buy has arrived only to be beaten to a bloody pulp. Reeves’ fists have smashed into chins, cheeks and chests repeatedly, compulsively, violently. He has sliced and diced his way through one pathetic mercenary after another, finishing them off with a knife to the neck or a machete through their face.
If that doesn’t work, he shoots them in the head, hands or feet, often point blank. In this smorgasbord of brutality, bones break and bodies crumple every few seconds. Honestly, it's a lot. Too much? Probably.
It gets better (or, worse). Somewhere along the way, Reeves has acquired a set of nunchucks which dangle around his neck like a beach towel. He uses those when he runs out of bullets and his hands are sore, clubbing his opposition into submission.
This set piece – a perfectly executed orgy of carnage – occurs in the first hour of John Wick: Chapter 4, and despite the dozens of bodies around him, Reeves doesn’t seem to break into a sweat. (By the way, he’s 58 years old. He still does all his own stunts.)
Welcome to the ultra-violent delights of another John Wick movie. Released this week, the latest instalment in the ultimate revenge saga clocks in at an Avatar-threatening two hours and 49 minutes. You will not be bored. Most of that is spent watching Reeves dispatch bad guys. Dozens, possibly hundreds, of them are dealt to in all manner of bloody, disgusting and violent ways, because of course they do. This is a John Wick film. It does exactly what it says it will do on the box. The thwacks thwack. The kapows kapow. It’s rated R16 for a reason.
This is not a film that’s going to win Academy Awards. At this point, no one’s expecting Reeves to bag acting accolades for his performance as a gruff hitman avenging the death of his puppy across four films. His fists do most of the talking, and they talk a lot. At one point, he confronts an entire underground nightclub of baddies, a climactic big bad boss fight so bruising you’ll wince over every punch. At another, he pummels his way up a giant set of stairs, taking out everyone in his path, only to be pushed back down to the bottom so he’s forced to do it all over again. The set piece in Paris involving fist fights, gun battles and car chases all at once? Stunning!
It’s ridiculous, over-the-top action film-making at its finest. It’s also another chance to reconnect with your John Wick friend. None of this will make sense without your John Wick friend by your side. Everyone should have a John Wick friend. The definition of a John Wick friend is someone with whom you can happily spend two hours and 49 minutes in a darkened room chugging popcorn and watching pummelling violence, savage aggression and one gruesome death after another, then laugh heartily about what you just saw afterwards.
Sure, someone, somewhere, probably worries about why films like John Wick exist. They’ll be concerned about what all that ultra-violence says about society, about how it might affect the kids, and whether or not any of this could cross over into real life (I, for one, would love a suit that comes with bullet-proof sleeves). Theses have probably been written. At least one academic has stared over the rim of a pair of milk-bottle bottomed glasses and tut-tutted about John Wick and all this hallabaloo.
I don’t care. I have too much fun when I take my John Wick friend to a new John Wick movie to worry about any of that. John Wick is good. John Wick is special. John Wick is two hours and 49 minutes of people beating the crap out of each other, and it made me forget about all the other shit going on in the world for that exact amount of time.
Thank you, John Wick. Keanu, this better not be the end. If it is, I’ve got a set of nunchucks dangling around my neck that may have something to say about that.
* All two hours and 49 minutes of John Wick 4 is in theatres now.
A message from Toby Manhire, editor-at-large and host of podcast Gone by Lunchtime: Independent journalism is never more important than during an election year and we want to cover Election 2023 with rigour, range and humour. To do that, we need your help. Support our mahi by making a donation today.
Why you need to see: Succession’s fourth and final season…
OK, I’m not going to say too much. There won’t be any massive spoilers for the new episode of Succession (on Neon, from Monday) to be found here. Yes, plenty of shenanigans in the world of the ultra-rich happen during this phenomenal hour of TV, but I won’t do you like that. There is one very important thing you need to know though. Are you ready? Cousin Greg gets a new girlfriend. That’s it, that’s all I’m saying. Just watch it, savour it, and we can chat more next week. /Chris Schulz
Why you need to see: Red, White & Brass
In theatres now, Red, White and Brass is a true story inspired by producer Halaifonua Finau and his Tongan church who formed a brass band to perform at the 2011 Rugby World Cup game Tonga vs France. The problem? Church members had zero experience playing wind instruments. The film is led by the charismatic, highly-motivated yet mischievous Maka who takes everyone on a rollercoaster ride of broken promises, impromptu Tongan dancing and countless excuses. One thing about Maka that remains consistent throughout this journey is his love for his homeland, which shines through and brings everyone together on game day. /Sela Jane Hopgood
On the Spinoff: Back on the Board
After dedicating years to helping young women find their confidence in skateboarding, Amber Clyde must teach herself how to get back on the board after the birth of her second child. But balancing the realities of being a solo Mum with running her own business means that her time is limited, and the risk of injury looms larger than ever before. In this intimate observational documentary, audiences are invited inside the life of one of skateboarding’s most impassioned advocates to experience the hurdles she faces when she has to advocate for herself. Read more about the making of The Spinoff’s new documentary here.
All the new stuff you can watch, right now…
It’s back, and it’s getting weird. The second season of Yellowjackets (Neon) kicks off today and advance reviews say the show, led by New Zealand’s own Melanie Lynskey, is getting darker, and much gorier, so hold on to your seats. Elsewhere, 24 fans might be keen on Rabbit Hole (TVNZ+, from Sunday), a new conspiracy thriller starring Kiefer Sutherland (“For the hardcore Sutherland fans,” said RogerEbert.com).
Bob Odenkirk continues his stunning work rate (look after your heart, Bob) with Lucky Hank (TVNZ+), a show about an embattled English professor at a “mediocre” Pennsylvania college (“Ample potential for it to evolve into something good,” declared The Hollywood Reporter). Lastly, don’t forget about the big one, Succession, which returns for its fourth and final season on Monday. Farewell, Roys, you savages.
If you’re heading out to theatres, grab plenty of snacks to survive all two hours and 49 minutes of the brute force of John Wick 4 (“More stylish, more elegant and more bonkers,” wrote AP). Red, White & Brass is the true story of a Tongan church band attempting to play their first show at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and sounds absolutely delightful, according to The Spinoff critic Sela Jane Hopgood.
Sadly, you can’t see M Night Shyamalan’s new film Knock at the Cabin in theatres, even though critics say it’s a return to form (“Preposterous yet gripping,” quipped the San Francisco Chronicle). For that, you’ll need to rent it through Apple TV+ or Neon. Remember, you can watch The Spinoff’s excellent new skateboarding doco, Back on the Board, entirely for free, right now.
Everything you need to know…
Pay tribute to The Wire and John Wick 4 star Lance Reddick by reading this wonderful (and possibly paywalled) Vulture tribute.
Will Location, Location, Location ever die? Tara Ward says no.
What the heck is Blow Up, and why is Jaquie Brown involved?
Go watch the Blackberry trailer. Yes, it’s about the typewriter phones corporate types used to enjoy flashing around in the mid-2000s. Looks fun!
While you’re at it, go watch the Beef trailer. The angry Netflix series stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun and is about road rage being taken too far.
Now go see the trailer for season three of Dave, the poor person’s Atlanta.
And here’s the trailer for season two of Sweet Tooth, making my kids very happy.
Finish your trailer binge with the one for Mrs Davis, the bonkers new show from Damon Lindelof about a ass-kicking nun’s attempt to track down the world’s most powerful algorithm. It sounds crazy! It looks awesome! Plus, Betty Gilpin!
Finally, my favourite show of the year, Paul T Goldman, is getting an exclusive cinematic release. You can’t see it on TV yet but you can go watch all six episodes in one cinema sitting and I thoroughly recommend you do. Details here.
That’s it for Rec Room for this week. If you liked what you read, why not share Rec Room with your friends and whānau.
